Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full) 

42 players are at MLB Spring Training 

31 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE at MLB Spring Training, and nine players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors. 
11 players are MLB Spring Training NON-ROSTER INVITEES (NRI) 

Last updated 3-17-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 17
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
Daniel Palencia
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

NRI PITCHERS: 5 
Colten Brewer 
Carl Edwards Jr 
* Edwin Escobar 
* Richard Lovelady 
* Thomas Pannone 

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

NRI CATCHERS: 2  
Jorge Alfaro 
Joe Hudson 

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch 
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom

NRI INFIELDERS: 3 
David Bote 
Garrett Cooper
* Dominic Smith

OUTFIELDERS: 5
* Cody Bellinger 
Alexander Canario
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

NRI OUTFIELDERS: 1 
* David Peralta

OPTIONED:
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Ben Brown, RHP 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, RHP 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Keegan Thompson, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

 



Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Saturday Funnies: Rizzo's Monster Homer

Well, that was an impressive homer.
Easy to mistake it for something else...

Comments

Nice.

lulz

g.cole vs the cubs lineup... ...and the cubs take a 1 run lead...and for some f'n reason rizzo sureholds is sent to 3rd and rizzo home (running from 1st) and is thrown out by 4-5 steps at home for the 2nd out. at least sureholds is on 3rd...though it should be 2nd/3rd sureholds/rizzo with 1 out. can we quit with this aggressive baserunning already?

[ ]

In reply to by John Beasley

*shrug* who knows... also, 2 more fly outs to the OF + a HR. tie game after 6. ...and baker is done after 6...pinch hit for w/ navarro with 1 out, men on 2nd/3rd...and he strikes out. 6ip 3h 0bb 4k, 1 r/er ...75 pitches

One thing about the Cubs is they seem a bit more competitive this year than last. I can't think of many games they haven't been in. There HAVE been a fair number of games that they've been in if you only look at the box score, but haven't really been in, I guess, because they have been so inept on offense, especially the first half of the year. But really, if I'm a contender, I know that it's not an automatic W with this team. My biggest concern with the Sveum era now that he's got almost 2 years under his belt is that his team has a habit of finding ways to lose.

As a Cub fan I would more likely believe it was drone due to the infrequency of Rizzo homeruns.

[ ]

In reply to by Carlito

Everybody wants instant gratification. They want Manny Machado, so they complain about loopy swings from a 23 year old first baseman who beat cancer, and a subpar season from a shortstop who started his career with some serious awesomeness for his age. This is a good year for these guys to work through their shit. It's not like they've got veteran stars sandwiching them in the lineup. I understand the frustration of being a Cubs fan as well as anybody, but really?

w.balentien finally breaks Oh's japanese HR record. these days managers/players are more prone to let "outsiders" go for it by not pitching around them or intentionally walking them for no reason. the fans loved it. his mom was in attendance at the game, btw. he did it 1 better with his 57th HR later in the game...he's got 41 more HR on his team than lastings milledge, who's the #2 best HR hitter on the team. ...he's got 17 more games (if he plays them all) to blow the record out of the water.

On a completely unrelated note, this Trestman fellow seems to know what he's doing. One sack in two weeks? And that sack was really on Cutler, not the O-line. For the last few years I've been practically begging for an offensive line. Nice to see a little imagination on play calling, too, and (slaps forehead) - short passes by Cutler. It's almost like watching NFL football.

[ ]

In reply to by Old and Blue

You did not "practically" beg, you actually begged. This should have happened two years ago when Lovie went 9-7. It took shit-canning of top personnel to realize the team needed to get their offense into the 21st Century. What is going to be problemmatic as the season goes on this year, is the absence of a formidible pass-rush with just four up front. Yu do not see this in the Championship-caliber teams. I am optimistic, however, that they can score enough points this year to keep them in most games.

[ ]

In reply to by The E-Man

Haha, you are right, I did actually. I guess I'm kinda hoping that Peppers isn't slowing down as much as it looks so far. In other words, I'm hoping he's got some nagging but not major injury that hasn't been reported. A spunky Peppers goes a long way to a good front four. Yesterday T Jennings saved the game, in my opinion. So far, teams really are pretty much just willfully marching up and down the field on these guys.

[ ]

In reply to by Old and Blue

my prediction for the season was that Bears would be far more exciting on offense at the expense of their defense....it'll be far more fun to watch, but I'm not sure if the end result will be much different this year.

If they can go 6-1 into the bye, time to get excited.

@ Steelers, @ Lions, vs. Saints, vs. Giants, @ Redskins then the bye

Schedule isn't easy at any point beyond an away game versus Cleveland in December. Not that they get any world-beaters in there, but certainly a bunch of teams that could beat them or they could beat.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

As I mentioned to E-man, teams are marching up and down the field on the Bears pretty much at will. E-man is right about the front four - they need to get better if there is any hope for a championship. I would still say that they could easily win every game that you list there. But because of the way the defense looks right now, they could also lose every one. So that's a problem.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

he was being pushed out of C by brett austin...when he learned he was going to be a part time player he transfered to Lee University...though he probably would have been a regular DH when he wasn't catching. it did not help at all that he blew off "voluntary" fall practice last year. btw, he killed it @ Lee...but that's not hard...it's a minor conference. .335/.443 avg/ob%...7hr...16 doubles...40bb/19k...218ab. he did even better in the frontier league...which is promising since he was using a wood bat there. he's a rather crummy defensive catcher, fwiw. also...while his work ethic (and conditioning, aka body weight) may be questioned, he was known to be good around his teammates and fans...so it's doubtful he's a head case.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

For "the safety of [the] fans" ... which no one actually believes, since the incident was isolated and ceased several hours ago. More likely to be respectful to the relatives of those who lost someone ... but is playing a game at 1 pm tomorrow really more respectful than playing at 7pm today? Maybe, I dunno, I just feel like the only reason they canceled was to avoid catching PR flak. And surely there are media types who would've crucified MLB and the Nats if they played. But really, as if tomorrow is way more respectful and/or safe than tonight? Meh.

[ ]

In reply to by John Beasley

they're also staging some stuff at the ballpark...victim and lockdown family waiting, some services, etc...plus i imagine travel in/around the area isn't very easy right now. ...but yeah, "the safety of the fans" is some b/s...though technically there is a 2nd person of interest, though it's believed that 2nd dude is the guy who's ID was used to obtain access rather than being some witnessed 2nd gunman.

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    SF snags b.snell...2/62m

  • Cubster (view)

    AZ Phil: THAT is an awesome report worth multiple thanks. I’m sure it will be worth reposting in an “I told you so” in about 2-3 years.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    The actual deadline to select a post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agent signed to 2024 minor league contract (Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta) to the MLB 40-man roster is not MLB Opening Day, it is 12 PM (Eastern) this coming Sunday (3/24). 

    However, the Cubs could notify the player prior to the deadline that the player is not going to get added to the 40 on Sunday, which would allow the player to opt out early. Otherwise the player can opt out anytime after the Sunday deadline (if he was not added to the 40 by that time). 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Today is an off day for both the Cubs MLB players and the Cubs minor league players.  

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    For those of you keeping track, so far nine players have been called up to Mesa from the Cubs Dominican Academy for Minor League Camp and they will be playing in the ACL in 2024: 

    * bats or throws left 

    Angel Cepeda, INF 
    * Miguel Cruz, P
    Yidel Diaz, C 
    * Albert Gutierrez, 1B
    Fraiman Marte, P  
    Francis Reynoso, P (ex-1B) 
    Derniche Valdez, INF 
    Edward Vargas, OF 
    Jeral Vizcaino, P 

    And once again, despite what you might read at Baseball Reference and at milb.com, Albert Gutierrez is absolutely positively a left-handed hitter (only), NOT a right-handed hitter.

    Probably not too surprisingly, D. Valdez was the Cubs #1 prospect in the DSL last season, Cepeda was the DSL Cubs best all-around SS prospect not named Derniche Valdez, Gutierrez was the DSL Cubs top power hitting prospect not named Derniche Valdez, E. Vargas was the DSL Cubs top outfield prospect (and Cepeda and E. Vargas were also the DSL Cubs top two hitting prospects), Y. Diaz was the DSL Cubs top catching prospect, and M. Cruz was the DSL Cubs top pitching prospect. 

    F. Marte (ex-STL) and J. Vizcaino (ex-MIL) are older pitchers (both are 22) who were signed by the Cubs after being released by other organizations and then had really good years working out of the bullpen for the Cubs in the DSL last season. 

    The elephant in the room is 21-year old Francis Reynoso, a big dude (6'5) who was a position player (1B) at the Cardinals Dominican Academy for a couple of years, then was released by STL in 2022, and then signed by the Cubs and converted to a RHP at the Cubs Dominican Academy (and he projects as a high-velo "high-leverage" RP in the states). He had a monster year for the DSL Cubs last season (his first year as a pitcher). 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    DJL: The only players who definitely have opt outs are Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta (Opening Day, 5/1, and 6/1), and that's because they are post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agents who signed 2024 minor league contracts and (by rule) they get those opt outs automatically. 

    Otherwise, any player signed to a 2024 minor league contract - MIGHT or - MIGHT NOT - have an opt out in their contract, but it is an individual thing, and if there are contractual opt outs the opt out(s) might not necessarily be Opening Day. It could be 5/1, or 6/1, or 7/1 (TBD).

    Because of their extensive pro experience, the players who most-likely have contractual opt outs are Alfaro, Escobar, and D. Smith, but (again), not necessarily Opening Day. 

    Also, just because a player has the right to opt out doesn't mean he will. 

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    I love the idea that Madrigal heads to Iowa in case Morel can’t handle third.

    The one point that intrigues me here is Cooper over Smith. I feel like the Cubs really like Smith and don’t want to lose him. Could be wrong. He def seems like an opt out if he misses the opening day roster

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Childersb3: Both Madrigal and Wisdom can be optioned without any restriction. Their consent is not required. 

    They both can be outrighted without restriction, too (presuming the player is not claimed off waivers), but if outrighted they can choose to elect free agency (immediately, or deferred until after the end of the MLB season).

    If the player is outrighted and elects free-agency immediately he forfeits what remains of his salary.

    If he accepts the assignment and defers free agency until after the conclusion of the season, he continues to get his salary, and he could be added back to the 40 anytime prior to becoming a free-agent (club option). 

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Phil, 
    Madrigal and Wisdom can or cannot refuse being optioned to the Minors?
    If they can refuse it, wouldn't they elect to leave the Cubs org?

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    In my opinion, the biggest "affirmative" mistake the Cubs made in the off-season (that is, doing something they should not have done), was blowing $9M in 2024 AAV on Hector Neris. What the Cubs actually need is an alternate closer to be in the pen and available to close if Alzolay pitched the day before (David Robertson would have been perfect), because with his forearm issue last September, I would be VERY wary of over-using Alzolay. I'm not even sure I would pitch him two days in a row!  

    And of course what the Cubs REALLY need is a second TOR SP to pair with Justin Steele. That's where the Cubs are going to need to be willing to package prospects (like the Padres did to acquire Dylan Cease, the Orioles did to acquire Corbin Burnes, and the Dodgers did to acquire Tyler Glasnow). Obviously those ships have sailed, but I would say right now the Cubs need to look very hard at trying to acquire LHSP Jesus Luzardo from the Marlins (and maybe LHP A. J. Puk as well).